A Student’s Food Guide
Grocery stores, smart shopping and food dictionary
Moving to a new country can be both an exciting and a
challenging experience. You meet with new cultures and
habits that differ from what you are used to from home.
Some of the Norwegian culture you will experience as
you go, but when it comes to food, that is an experience
you have to dive into starting from day one. Navigating
through all the different types of Norwegian food is part of the
journey, but we hope this booklet will make the first days and
weeks easier and more exciting.
This booklet contains a guide to the different grocery stores you
will encounter in Oslo, as well as some easy recipies. We have
also included a food dictionary, making it easier to understand
the Norwegian names of food.
Finally, we would like to take this chance to remind you to take
extra care during the winter months. As the days turn shorter and
the sun comes out less often, it is important to keep your energy
level up by eating reasonably and healthy. Little sun also means
less vitamin D, and we recommend that you supplement with this
vitamin in order to keep your bones strong and healthy.
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Grocery stores
There are many low price chain stores in Norway, and there you
will find most of what you need everyday. Here are some examples of low price chain stores:
You will also find more expensive chain stores. Some of these
have larger assortments and different brands of each product,
a lot of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, meat and special products.
Here are a few examples:
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Independent shops
If you are looking for nice seasoonings, delicious fresh food
and vegetables, nuts, olives, beans or some special food from
a certain area (Africa, Asia, Middle-East etc.) you should go to
a shop that is not part of a chain. There are all kinds, but they
have some things in common: 1) They are usually cheap. 2) The
quality of fruit and vegetables is excellent 3) They are situated
mostly in the centre of the city - but if you use the T-bane you will
be there in no time!
Grønland and Tøyen - This is on the eastern side of the city centre. Grønland, and Grønlandsleiret, Tøyengata and Motzfeldsgate are all streets where you can find different shops.
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Smart food shopping
Making your food last
Cheap products
Most food is marked with a
“best før” (best before) date.
This means that the food will
still be safe to eat after the date
stated, but the quality of the
food might be reduced.
Rice
Some food is marked with a
“siste holdbarhetsdato” (last
expire date). This means that
you should be cautious about
eating the food after the stated
date. This marking usually appears on some milk products,
meat, fish, chicken and other
kinds of food that are perishable.
Milk is a “best før” product, but
it is important that you store it
in your fridge, or else it will go
stale in less than a day.
Pasta
In-season fish
First Price-products. This brand
can be found in most grocery
stores and they have a large
line of cheap products.
Remember that meat can be
expensive. Some grocery
stores sell off packs of meat
if they are close to the “siste
holdbarhetsdato”, and this can
be an excellent way to save
money. You can also freeze
the meat right after you have
bought it, saving it for another
day.
Kg price. Remember to look at
the Kg price when buying meat
and fish. This will give a better
indication of how much you will
need to pay for the product.
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Food dictionary
Milk products
helmelk = whole fat milk
lettmelk = semi fat
ekstra lettmelk = low fat milk,
fortified with vitamin D
skummetmelk = low fat
kefir = sour milk, natural flavour
Cultura/surmelk = sour milk
fløte = cream
rømme/lettrømme = sour
cream
Norvegia/Jarlsberg = very mild
flavour, white cheese
brunost = “brown cheese”, a
sweet cheese made from milk
Bread and grains etc.
loff = white bread
kneipp = semi white
mellomgrovt = dark bread, medium content of whole grains.
grovbrød/grovt = also dark,
high content of whole grains.
knekkebrød = dehydrated,
square pieces of bread. Scandinavian origin.
lompe = Thin, flat and soft
bread, made of potatoes. Look
like
pancakes or Mexican tortillas.
Often enjoyed with hot dogs.
hurtigris = pre-cooked rice
which needs only a few minutes to get
ready.
middagsris = “dinner rice”,
common rice which requires
regular
cooking procedures.
grøtris = rice for making rice
porridge, which is enjoyed with
sugar and
cinnamon.
vafler = dessert cakes, enjoyed
with marmalade etc. Typical
European.
boller/hveteboller = sweet
wheat buns.
Oils and fats
olivenolje = olive oil
solsikkeolje = sunflower oil
tran = cod liver oil, not for cooking, used as a Vitamin A and D
supplement.
smør = butter made from milk.
margarin = made from vegetable/plant oils. Comes in different brands
and types, like Vita, Soft Flora,
Olivero etc.
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Fish products
makrell i tomat = mackerel in
tomato sauce
kaviar = spread made of hard
roe (fish eggs)
fiskboller/fiskepudding = fish
forcemeat, comes in different
shapes
fiskekaker = fish burgers
fiskepinner = fish “fingers”, cod
covered in flour and spices. A
ready to fry product found in
the compartment for frozen
products.
reker = shrimps
torsk/torskefilet = cod filets
sei = coalfish/pollack
ørret = trout
laks = salmon
Meat and poultry products
leverpostei = spread made of
pork liver.
skinke/servelat/pølse = there
are many types of sliced ham
and
sausages, used on bread.
pølse = sausages/hot dogs for
dinner.
kjøttdeig = minced meat with
added water and salt.
kjøttkake = meat ball
kylling = chicken
biff = beef, from cows
Fruits and vegetables
agurk = cucumber
mais = corn
sopp = mushroom
gulrot = carrot
blomkål = couliflower
kål = cabbage
kålrot = turnip/kohlrabi
erter = peas
løk = onions
hvitløk = garlic
gul/rød/grønn paprika = yellow,
red, green pepper
purre = leek
ingefær = ginger
eple = apple
pære = pear
druer = grapes
appelsiner = oranges
ananas = pineapple
jordbær = strawberries
bringebær = raspberries
blåbær = blueberries
multer = cloudberries
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Lunch
Bringing a «matpakke» (a packed lunch) to work or school is
common among most Norwegians. A typical Norwegian “matpakke” consists of slices of bread or a sandwhich. Easy made
salads are also common to bring. Bringing your own food will
also stop you from spending small amounts here and there and
is therefore an excellent way to save money. Here is a few lunch
ideas:
Slices of bread with “pålegg”
You will find that many Norwegians have slices of bread with
different kinds of “pålegg” for lunch. “Pålegg” is basically anything
you can put on top of a slice of bread, like cheese, ham, jam,
caviar, mackerel in tomato sauce, spread made of pork liver or
anything else you might think of. Only imagination sets limits to
what a “pålegg” is.
Instead of normal bread you can also buy bread rolls. You can
buy frozen bread rolls in most grocery stores. Heating them up in
the oven is quick and easy.
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Super easy turkey rolls
Ingredients
2 tortillas
6 slices of turkey “pålegg”
Snøfrisk naturell (a type of cream cheese)
Rocket salad/arugula
Directions
1. Spread an even coat of Snøfrisk on one side of the tortillas
2. Cover the Snøfrisk with rocket salad/arugula and the turkey
slices.
3. Roll up the tortillas and cut them in half.
Simple chicken salad
Ingredients
1/5 of a crispy salad head
½ box of kidney beans
½ box of corn
½ pepper
½ grilled chicken (this can easily be purchased in any store with
a hot food section)
Directions
1. Cut the vegetables in the size you want them.
2. Cut the chicken in small dices
3. Mix and enjoy!
Risengrynsgrøt (Norwegian rice porridge)
Risengrynsgrøt is also a traditional Norwegian dish. It is associated with Christmas, and during December 8 out of 10 Norwegians
eat risengrynsgrøt at least once.
Ingredients
½ deciliter porridge rice
1 deciliter water
¼ liter whole fat milk
¼ teaspoon salt
½ tablespoon of dairy butter
Suger and cinnamon
Directions
1. Boil the porridge rice in water for approx. 10 minutes, until the
water is almost gone.
2. Add milk little by little and keep cooking on a low heat until the
porridge has a nice thickness.
3. Stir occasionally, to make sure the porridge doesn’t get burnt.
Season with salt.
4. Serve the rice porridge in a proper Norwegian style, with sugar, cinnamon and a teaspoon of butter.
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Lapskaus
Lapskaus is a well-known traditional meal in Norway.
Funfact: In New York, the heavily Norwegian-populated 8th Avenue is still known today as ‘Lapskaus Boulevard‘.
Ingredients
1 x 200g beef stewing steak
4 tablespoons of tomato puree
4 floury potatoes
(these wil thicken the gravy)
4 carrots
1 celery stick
2 onions
1 leek
500ml beef stock
pepper, parsley
Directions
1. Cut the meat into small pieces. Fry the beef in a frying pan,
use a bit of butter. Meanwhile peel and chop the vegetables into
bite-sized chunks.
2. Add the onions and fry for one minute.
3. Add all the rest of the ingredients and simmer for at least 30
minutes. Take the beef out and shred it with a fork, then add back
into the stew.
4. Eat with Norwegian flat bread
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Håper det smaker og
vel bekomme!